Chapter 493: Soul Burying Mountains, Controlling the Ant Queen
The Soul Burying Mountains are located in the northwestern region of Central Plains. It's a notorious place, considered one of the more dangerous regions in Central Plains. The mountains weren't far from the Western Region, and at Mo Yu and his group's speed, they could reach it in about five days.
After they set off, they made almost no stops along the way, traveling day and night. Thanks to their relentless pace, by the afternoon of the fourth day, Mo Yu and the others noticed that the temperature around them had started to drop rapidly.
"We're almost there," Mo Yu remarked, raising his head to look into the distance, where the outline of a mountain range could be seen. However, the mountains were shrouded in a thick layer of freezing fog.
As they gazed at the eerie, fog-covered mountains, Xiao Yan and the others, whose expressions had been tense, finally allowed themselves to relax a little. They had reached the Soul Burying Mountains at last.
With their destination in sight, Mo Yu gestured for them to land on a nearby mountaintop outside the range.
"We've arrived at the Soul Burying Mountains, but everyone should take a moment to rest. The journey hasn't been easy," Mo Yu said with a smile as they landed.
The Wind Venerable and the others nodded in agreement. Even as Dou Zun-level powerhouses, the days of non-stop travel had left them a bit tired.
"Xiao Yan, didn't you say you had a Dou Zun helper keeping watch here? Now that we've reached the Soul Burying Mountains, you can have him meet up with the main group," Mo Yu said, turning to Xiao Yan.
"Yes," Xiao Yan nodded, quickly rising into the air and forming hand seals. Five powerful fire spirits emerged from his body, spreading out in a unique pattern.
"Oh, is that the Five Wheels Flame Technique? Quite impressive..." Mo Yu murmured as he watched the powerful aura radiating from Xiao Yan.
As Mo Yu was lost in thought, a sharp sound of something cutting through the air echoed. A white figure slowly appeared.
The figure was an elderly man dressed in white robes, with snow-white hair and a weathered face. Despite his aged appearance, his eyes glimmered with a sharp, piercing light.
The moment this figure appeared, Mo Yu felt a faint sense of pressure, confirming that the newcomer was indeed a Dou Zun.
After exchanging a few words with Xiao Yan, the elder descended to where Mo Yu and the others were waiting on the mountaintop.
"Cousin Mo Yu, this is the senior I mentioned before, the Heavenly Flame Venerable," Xiao Yan introduced the white-robed elder to Mo Yu.
"I am Yao Tianhuo, greetings to Lord Mo," the Heavenly Flame Venerable greeted Mo Yu with a respectful nod, though a hint of surprise flickered in his eyes.
When Xiao Yan had told him he was going to seek help from a cousin, Yao Tianhuo had expected perhaps one or two Dou Zuns at most. But in just a few days, Xiao Yan had gathered five Dou Zun powerhouses!
And the silver-eyed young man standing before him, who seemed to be Xiao Yan's peer, exuded a pressure that was hard to ignore. Yao Tianhuo found it difficult to imagine what kind of family could produce such monstrous talents as Mo Yu and Xiao Yan.
"Hehe, Senior Tianhuo, you're a senior figure; there's no need to be so formal. You'll make me feel unworthy," Mo Yu replied with a polite smile, waving his hand.
Mo Yu was familiar with the Heavenly Flame Venerable, so he responded courteously.
With the addition of the Heavenly Flame Venerable, the group's strength for the mission to rescue Yao Lao had now reached a formidable lineup of eight Dou Zuns, lifting Xiao Yan's spirits.
"So, these are the Soul Burying Mountains," Mo Yu said as he looked at the fog-covered mountain range in the distance. "Can we fly directly in?"
"No, the outer fog is fine, but the deeper you go, the thicker it gets. If we lose our sense of direction, we'll be lost inside. Moreover, there are strange magical beasts in the fog, and they can easily launch surprise attacks," the Heavenly Flame Venerable explained, casting a glance toward the mountains.
"Not to mention, this is where the Hall of Souls' branch is located. There's no telling what defensive measures they might have in place. Flying in could expose us immediately," the Wind Venerable added.
Among everyone present, no one was more familiar with Central Plains than the Wind Venerable. His vast experience far surpassed that of Mo Yu and the others, so his words were taken seriously by all as they nodded in agreement.
"This time of year is when the cold is at its worst in the Soul Burying Mountains, but we don't have the luxury of waiting for it to ease up. We'll just have to go in through the fog," the Wind Venerable continued, narrowing his eyes as he scanned the area around the mountains.
"There are several smaller sects and factions scattered around the Soul Burying Mountains. From what I've heard, many of these forces are under the control of the Hall of Souls. We must avoid being detected by anyone. Even though our group is strong enough to rival the Hall of Souls' branch, if we draw the attention of the main Hall of Souls forces, we'll be in serious trouble."
"In that case, leave it to me. I'll take care of anyone who sees us," Iron Sword Venerable said in his raspy voice.
Mo Yu nodded quietly, trusting Iron Sword Venerable's abilities. As for any innocent people caught up in this? They couldn't afford to worry about that now. After all, how many good people could be involved with the Hall of Souls?
"Once we enter the mountains, don't stray too far from each other. Stay alert. Let's go!" Mo Yu said as he launched himself off the mountaintop, gliding like an eagle before diving into the mist-covered forest.
The Wind Venerable, Xiao Yan, and the others followed closely behind.
Inside the misty forest, visibility was extremely low due to the thick white fog. Even with their soul senses, they could only detect their surroundings within a hundred meters, no further.
Occasionally, low beastly growls echoed from the fog, and several agile figures darted through the mist like monkeys, moving swiftly toward the depths of the mountains.
However, as they ventured deeper, Mo Yu and his group began encountering more and more obstacles. The Soul Burying Mountains were vast, and the dense fog made it difficult to locate the Hall of Souls' branch.
The map provided by the Wind Venerable had been somewhat helpful at first, but as they ventured further into the mountains, it became less and less reliable.
As a result, Mo Yu and his group were left to rely on their instincts to navigate.
"These mountains are enormous. Finding the hall where Yao Lao is held won't be easy..." Mo Yu muttered grimly.
Xiao Yan smiled wryly and replied, "There's nothing we can do. This map was a gift from the Elder Xuan Kong of the Alchemist Tower. If I hadn't won the championship in the alchemist tournament, he wouldn't have been able to help us at all. This map is the most detailed one the Alchemist Tower could gather."
Mo Yu nodded, but then an idea came to him, and he smiled. "Wandering around like headless flies is a poor strategy. Cousin Xiao Yan, do you have a pill that could attract the king of the magical beasts in these mountains? I have an idea to find the Hall of Souls' branch."
"Master Mo, are you suggesting we use the beast king to find the branch?" the Wind Venerable asked thoughtfully.
"But the beast king in these mountains is no easy target. Even a Dou Zun would struggle to subdue it, and if we attract the Hall of Souls' forces, things could get ugly. Isn't this too risky?" the Heavenly Flame Venerable frowned.
Mo Yu smiled confidently. "Don't worry, I have a way to handle the beast king."
Turning to Xiao Yan, he asked for help.
Seeing Mo Yu's confidence, Xiao Yan gritted his teeth and nodded. "Since you're sure, I trust you, Cousin Mo Yu!"
Xiao Yan then pulled out a crystal-clear pill radiating a rich fragrance from his storage ring.
"This is a Beast Spirit Pill, a seventh-tier pill. It can enhance the purity of a magical beast's bloodline, so it's extremely tempting to high-level magical beasts. Once this pill is out, the beast king of these mountains will likely come soon."
Seeing Xiao Yan pull out the Beast Spirit Pill, both the Wind Venerable and the Heavenly Flame Venerable exchanged helpless looks.
Using the beast king to find the Hall of Souls was a risky move.
But since Mo Yu was their chosen ally, and Xiao Yan trusted him so deeply, the two senior experts had no choice but to follow his lead.
Taking the Beast Spirit Pill from Xiao Yan, Mo Yu smiled and said, "Don't worry, everything will go smoothly."
With that, he raised the Beast Spirit Pill into the air, allowing its enticing fragrance to spread, intending to lure the beast king of the mountains.
As the night fell, the Soul Burying Mountains became even more eerie. Strange howls echoed through the mountain range, sending chills down the spine.
Not long after Mo Yu lifted the pill, a faint rustling sound began to emerge from the distance.
Hearing this, the Wind Venerable, who had been on guard, scanned the mist with a sharp gaze. His expression changed slightly, and he exclaimed, "Oh no, it's the Rock-Devouring Ants! They've been drawn here!"
At the Wind Venerable's shout, the expressions of the Heavenly Flame Venerable and Iron Sword Venerable also shifted.
The Rock-Devouring Ants were one of the most terrifying creatures in the Soul Burying Mountains. It wasn't because they were particularly strong but because of their sheer numbers.
The fearsome reputation of the Soul Burying Mountains was due in no small part to these ants. Though individually only at the third or fourth rank, the danger they posed came from their numbers—millions of them could swarm together, even forcing an eighth-rank magical beast to flee.
These ants devoured everything in their path. Wherever their swarms passed, nothing but bare bones remained, with no trace of blood.
Those unfortunate enough to encounter them in the mountains faced certain death. If the Rock-Devouring Ants weren't limited to the cold mist, even the lands outside the mountains would be uninhabitable.
The reputation of the Soul Burying Mountains had spread widely thanks to these terrifying creatures.
Xiao Yan and the others hadn't expected that the Beast Spirit Pill would attract such a troublesome threat.
Even with eight Dou Zuns, fighting against a seemingly endless tide of ants wouldn't be easy.
"Master Mo, put away the pill and prepare to retreat! We can't fight these creatures head-on!" The Wind Venerable's voice was urgent, clearly displeased with Mo Yu's recklessness in drawing the ants. After all, this mission was about saving Yao Lao, and any mistake could lead to failure.
Mo Yu, however, remained calm. He understood that their team wasn't fully familiar with him yet, so it was natural for there to be some friction.
But Mo Yu had no intention of retreating. Even though they had attracted the Rock-Devouring Ants, who said these creatures didn't have a leader?
If he could control the queen ant, not only would they eliminate the immediate threat, but they would also be able to find the Hall of Souls' branch.
With that thought, Mo Yu's silver eyes locked onto a powerful, hidden presence deep within the fog-covered forest. That presence, he guessed, was likely the queen of the Rock-Devouring Ants.
The massive swarm was undoubtedly under her control.
Determined, Mo Yu didn't hesitate. He put away the Beast Spirit Pill, rose to his feet, and charged into the misty forest.
Seeing Mo Yu's sudden move, the Wind Venerable's face darkened, and he muttered angrily, "What is Master Mo doing? Isn't the situation bad enough already?"
"Let me check on him," Xiao Yan said hurriedly. Knowing Mo Yu well, he sensed that something significant was about to happen.
"Don't worry about the Master. He knows what he's doing, and haven't you noticed? The sound of the ants has stopped," Qing Zhi remarked calmly.
Surprised, the Wind Venerable and the others paused to listen. Indeed, the eerie rustling of the ants had completely disappeared.
"What..."
Before they could finish their thought, a tall figure emerged unscathed from the mist, leaping onto a tree branch. It was none other than Mo Yu.
And on Mo Yu's shoulder sat a half-foot-tall, dark-gold eight-winged giant ant.
"The Rock-Devouring Ant Queen?"
Seeing the dark-gold ant, both the Wind Venerable and the Heavenly Flame Venerable's faces paled.
Mo Yu, however, simply smiled and said, "Don't worry. I've tamed her. Let's go—this little one knows where the Hall of Souls is located."
(End of Chapter)
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